Unfortunately, there are many problems associated with placing a sterile gown on the user. It is most important, of course, that the sterile gown not be contaminated during the process of being opened and placed on the user, and, until the advent of the present invention, it has been very difficult to insure this sterilization of the gown when placed on the user.
The most common prior art technique was to place a sterilized gown over a tent-like apparatus that was hoisted over the user's head. The user would then be placed underneath the apparatus and the sterilized garment would be lowered over the head of the user and in this way the outside surface of the sterilized garment would not be contaminated.
Such devices were, of course, very cumbersome and difficult to use in the environment of a hospital operating room, and as a result, the problem has continued through the present time. In the present invention, the garment is first folded in a half inside out condition and each sleeve is half folded inside out and within the folded garment. The sleeve openings are placed facing the bottom the garment which is then folded, packaged and sterilized.
In the preferred environment, the garment is first folded prior to sterilization and then packaged and ethylene oxide gas sterilized prior to use. After the garment is completely sterilized, the sterile package is then moved conveniently to the operating room where it is opened and the garment placed on a flat table and opened. The user inserts his hands into each folded half sleeve and raises the garment over his head and with a minimum of assistance is able to allow the folded garment to unfold over his body thereby not contaminating the outside surface.